Drown My Fears
by sweetkiwi604
Summary: Merle was supposed to take her out into the woods but when he backs out Daryl steps in. AU. Pre-ZA. One shot. Daryl/OC


**Don't think I forgot about you ispiltthemilk, this one is for you doll face and a special thank you to buttercup for her woodsy help ;)**

Drown My Fears

"Daryl'll take ya," Merle slapped his brother on the back as he came out onto the porch where they were standing.

Samantha tried to keep her face passive as she internally groaned. She came over to see if Merle would take her out in the woods for a paper she had to write and maybe get a glimpse of Daryl in passing. Being out in the woods with the youngest Dixon all day? Now, that wasn't something she was sure she could handle without saying, or doing, something she shouldn't.

"C'mon, Merle, don't be an ass," Samantha shoved his chest playfully. "I'm sure Daryl is busy and 'sides you promised."

Merle fished a cigarette out of his jeans pocket and lit it, blowing the smoke straight over her head as she glared up at him. "And if you were here last weekend I would've but I got plans, sugar."

"A two dollar hooker you picked up on the corner isn't plans," she jutted her hip to the side as she crossed her arms over her chest.

A smirk pulled at the corner of his lips, "I don't pay, darlin', they're linin' up to be with ol' Merle."

"Fine," Samantha huffed, dropping her arms to her sides. "I guess I'll just go read a book about the woods instead."

"Ain't goin' to learn shit out of a damn book, you need to be out there, get in her head," Merle motioned to the trees that lined their property.

Samantha's eyes flickered from the trees then to Daryl who was leaning against the porch railing, chewing on the skin around his thumb nail. She still wasn't sure this was such a great idea. How was she supposed to keep her mind on the environment around her for her paper when all she could think about when she looked at him was tearing his clothes off? This is why she asked Merle. She'd still get the same information, although with more comments, without having to take a cold shower when she got home.

Letting out a long sigh, she tilted her head to the side, her bangs falling over her eyes, "Daryl, you got a few hours to spare? Seems I lost my tour guide and according to some asshole I won't learn anything from a book. Would you be able to take me into the woods?"

Merle was smiling like the Cheshire cat as if he had planned the whole thing and after a moment of silence Daryl slightly nodded, "Alright."

**X-X-X**

The hot August sun beat down on their backs as Daryl led them through the thick Georgia woods. He hardly spoke a word as she followed him, her words never ceasing to stop. His small bag hung loosely from his shoulders as his crossbow laid over it, thudding softly against him with each step he took. Continuing uphill, his eyes darted consistently watching and scanning the area for any type of memento.

"Hey, how come we haven't seen any animals? I thought you said we would," she spoke from behind him.

Smirking, he ducked under a tree branch. "Ain't gonna see any animals 'less you quit talking," he teased, stopping to pull the branch out of the way for her. He scoffed as she stuck her tongue out at him and stepped past.

"Maybe I wouldn't talk so much if you joined in on the conversation," she shot back, adjusting her bag on her shoulders. This was going better than she thought, admittedly she wasn't paying too close of attention to the woods around her but damn if she wasn't enjoying herself.

Daryl released the branch and came to stand directly in front of her, their chests almost touching. Looking down at her quizzically, he watched her eyes go round and her throat move as she swallowed, "I'll start talking when you start offerin' up something interesting."

Forgetting any feeling she had, Samantha glared at him. "I was talking about school." She growled as he merely quirked an eyebrow and stepped around her. "So, where are we going anyway?"

"Thought you wanted to go hiking," he answered as he stepped over a fallen log and ducked under a spider web.

She scrunched her nose up as she almost crouched under the web as she tried to follow in his footsteps, "I do."

"Well, that's what we're doing," he answered dryly before leading them forward once more.

She continued to talk about college and how she only had one more semester until she graduated. He grunted in response every once in awhile but otherwise let her ramble on. They weren't going to see anything with her popping off at the mouth and though he normally enjoyed being out in the woods in the silence he wasn't necessarily complaining about her company either. The squirrels that were chattering annoyed with her presence was another story.

He stopped suddenly and without paying attention she walked right into his back, having to grab onto a nearby tree so she wouldn't fall over. "What?"

Daryl glanced up at the bit of sky he could see through the leaves that canopied the area, "Goin' to storm."

"Now?" she questioned, peering up to try and see what he was. He nodded and started to look for somewhere to take shelter. "Fucking hell," she muttered.

They were too deep into the woods to make it back to his truck before the storm hit and he found a little out cove where they could take shelter until it passed. She begged him to keep moving, that she didn't mind getting wet but he insisted it wouldn't be long until the storm passed. He had tried to explain to her how he knew it was going to storm but she wasn't hearing a single word he was saying as they waited for the rain the make its way through the trees.

"But there's wendigos out here!" Samantha blurted out, not caring anymore that she sounded like a child afraid of the dark. Daryl blinked a few times just staring at her, unsure of what she had just freaked out about. Samantha crossed her arms as the rain started to fall between the leaves of the trees, making a face at the unbelieving expression he is wearing. "Please, we can't stay here."

"Safer out here than in town in the middle of the night, just have to listen to what she says."

Samantha muttered something under her breath that he wasn't able to make out but he had to fight to keep the smirk off his face. "You and your brother keep talking 'bout the woods like it's a damn person. Now, can we please haul ass back to the truck before we wind up as a missing persons because a wendigo took us for dinner."

"Sammi, I've been through these woods thousands of times and there is no wendigos or whatever the fuck you're going on about." Daryl motioned to the out cove and lightly pushed her in that direction before they were both soaked from the rain.

She still didn't believe him but got out of the rain nonetheless, "How can you stand there and tell me that there aren't any wendigos out there when you came back talking about a chupacabra." Daryl rolled his eyes but he'd stand by his story of what he saw in the woods that day. Samantha pulled a flashlight out of her bag and turned it on only for it to flicker a few times before going out. "Great, we're going to fucking die out here. I knew I should have never listened to Merle. No one ever dies in a library."

"You'd find a way," Daryl mumbled, surprised she had made it this far without falling over anything like the klutz she was.

The air was thick and damp with the humidity that blanketed the area before the storm. The little cave was pitch black, the woods terrifyingly loud and quiet all at the same time. Loud crashes from outside made Samantha jump in fear but she quickly tried to hide it.

She sat down, pulling her knees up to her chest figuring if she just sat still then maybe he would believe for a second that she wasn't scared to death. He didn't, she was easier to read than anyone else he knew. Dropping his crossbow to the ground with a thud he sat beside her and bumped his shoulder against hers trying to get her to smile.

Samantha rolled her eyes at his attempt but he wasn't going to give up that easily, "I ever tell you 'bout the time Merle came home with bright pink lipstick all over his neck?"

She couldn't help herself and deep laughter poured from her mouth. Just when she wasn't expecting it he leaned in and kissed her, entangling one hand in her hair to keep her close. She resisted at first, surprised at how bold he had been, but quickly gave in and responded in hungry kisses. Daryl had never been the first one to make a move before but she seemed just as attracted as he was. It gave him the courage to pull her onto his lap, her legs straddling him as his hands started to wander.

Samantha finally pulled back, a little out of breath, "Daryl, what are we doing?" She was nervous but didn't leave his lap as her eyes flickered from his own and down to his mouth.

His thumb wiped away dirt from her cheek, but it left a streak behind because his hands were just as dirty. He smiled, seeing she was no longer afraid and loving the warmth her body was bringing his. Daryl had never been a man of many words instead choosing to kiss her again and this time she didn't hesitate in kissing him back, wrapping her arms around his neck and running her fingernails through his short hair. He had a hand on either side of her hips holding her in place and when the thunder cracked she wasn't even fazed by it. Her heart beat faster when the thunder came but it no longer had to do with the storm. His hands tightened at the sound, afraid she would react, but the fact that she didn't only made him want her more. He wanted to continue, to strip her down and taste every inch of her skin but this wasn't the place and he eventually pulled away.

"Think the storms just about passed," his words were barely louder than a whisper that she felt dance along her lips.

Samantha leaned forward and kissed him one more time before getting off his lap and tucking her bangs behind her ear. Daryl stood up, brushing the dirt from the back of his pants and slinging the crossbow over his shoulder. She stepped back out into the woods and noticed a fog had settled over the ground. Reaching forward, she grabbed onto his belt as he started to lead them back down the hill.

"You know," Samantha started as he held his hand out to help her over a moss covered rock. "If a wendigo did come for us that crossbow wouldn't have saved us. You need fire."

Daryl suppressed a groan but let it slide. He supposed that if she could believe his chupacabra story than the least he could do was listen to her ramble about some legend she heard about in that fancy school of hers. Samantha wasn't as chatty on the way back instead trying to pick out little things she hadn't noticed before. She just hoped that Daryl wouldn't leave his courage in the cave of the woods when they got back to town.


End file.
